“Hey, you’re not Ed.” I’m sure some of you may be thinking that as you read the editorial column this month. And you’re right. There is only one
As a sign the times are changing, my father and I have decided to share the editorial spotlight. This move reflects the current trend in the industry as second generations are increasingly taking leadership roles in their family businesses. If you attend any industry meeting, you will notice new names and faces. Many of these are the sons or daughters of the company founders.
This seemed to be the right time because I feel very strongly about this month’s article on Millwood’s approach to managing the whole person – body, mind and spirit. Millwood Inc. of
Chip Trebilcock, the son of industry veteran Corky Trebilcock, and Steve Miller are the visionaries behind Millwood. They run things a bit differently than most because they believe that they must answer to a higher authority. Chip and Steve credit the success of Millwood to the hand of God. They founded Millwood on four key pillars based on truths from the Bible – trust, servitude, discipleship and integrity.
Millwood strives to meet the physical needs of its team members first, which helps them buy into the company’s culture and values. Chip said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Millwood faces the same labor problems that everybody else does. However, its approach has enabled the company to develop talent from within and retain its workforce.
Chip said, “We can’t afford high turnover; we have to take what we can get and see if we can teach them what they need to know both mentally and spiritually to become a model employee.” Like many pallet recyclers, Millwood hires a lot of people in tough spots including: ex-offenders, recovering addicts, immigrant workers, low skilled laborers, etc. Chip and Steve believe they have been given a divine call to improve the lives of these people as well as turn a profit.
Millwood serves its employees by sponsoring camps for children of employees, offering counseling and intervention services, recognizing accomplishments through service awards, celebrating the birthdays of team members, and holding regular family activities for its workforce.
Millwood has a full-time chaplain on staff. He travels throughout the facilities to find needs and assist those in trouble. The company even sponsors expense paid mission trips for employees to serve the poor and the homeless. This year Millwood is taking a team of people to serve widows and the poor in the
You don’t have to be the size of Millwood to care for your people. And, you don’t have to spend the money or energy that Millwood does to improve employee morale. Little things can make a big difference. It all starts with looking at your employees as more than just workers.
Surveys show that employees tend to leave companies for more than just compensation concerns. One major reason that employees hate their jobs is because they don’t feel like their jobs are meaningful. Everybody wants to make a difference and feel like part of a team.
If you have been experiencing a revolving door at your plant, you may want to stop and ask yourself why. Millwood has been able to turn a profit while caring for its people. You can too! To find out the secret to their success, read the article elsewhere on our Web site.
While writing the article, I felt convicted to stop and see what more I can do to serve our staff. I expect that many readers will be challenged as well. With a lot of help from the Almighty and a commitment to its customers and employees, Millwood has become a great industry success story. You could be next!
